


You're a Shadowhunter Now

by thatnerdemryn



Series: 5 Years of Shadowhunters Codas [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Brotp, Canon Compliant, Clary Fray is Misunderstood, Coda, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s01e02 The Descent Into Hell Isn't Easy, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Protective Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28652235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemryn/pseuds/thatnerdemryn
Summary: “If she decides to go on her own, we’ve lost Valentine’sdaughterto the downworld, and who knows what that means for the Circle,” Jace added even though Alec had already made up his mind. Alec shook his head and let out a frustrated breath through his nose as he walked away from his siblings.“She’s not gonna listen to me,” Alec yelled as he walked in the direction the redhead had stormed off.“Make her, Alec, you’re good at that,” Jace supplied.Alec muttered to himself, “Apparently not good enough.”
Relationships: Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood
Series: 5 Years of Shadowhunters Codas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1337425
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46
Collections: 5 Years of Shadowhunters Coda Event





	You're a Shadowhunter Now

**Author's Note:**

> Another coda fic for the [Malec Discord Server's](discord.gg/GY8jT4x) **5 Years of Shadowhunters** coda event! 
> 
> I am a Clary sympathizer and Fraywood brotp stan and I have zero regrets about it.

The redhead was feisty when she was pissed off and there was something about that aspect of her that both surprised and intrigued Alec. It also had Alec sympathizing with her for the first time in the few hours he had known her. They had gone back to the Institute to figure out how to deal with the nerdy mundane being taken by the New York Vampire Clan in the most diplomatic manner - Alec briefly reminded himself that he was the  _ only _ one that wanted to deal with it with thought and not action - and the redhead was  _ pissed, _ to say the least. 

“Someone has got to talk to her,” Izzy said as she inspected her nails, pointedly ignoring any responsibility that she might have been given. Jace sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head at whatever thoughts were running through it. 

“I think Alec should do it,” Jace offered and Alec just gaped at him. 

“You want  _ me _ to deal with her?” Alec said with a scoff as both Izzy and Jace stared up at him. 

“C’mon, you’re the one who couldn’t bother to be around the mundane and accused Clary of being some Circle spy all within a few hours of meeting her. Maybe if you just apologize--”

Alec held up a hand and argued, “Apologize?! You want me to say I’m sorry for being the only one pointing out scenarios in which this-- this  _ little girl _ is much more than just a damsel in distress that you can save? I think I’m the only one who is thinking with my  _ head _ here!” It seemed like his words did nothing to focus Izzy and Jace away from whatever they felt for the redhead and he relented, as he always did, with a heavy sigh. 

“Just go talk to her. Explain  _ why _ we can’t just go after him and maybe she’ll understand that you want to get Simon back just as much as she does,” Izzy said softly, resting a hand on Alec’s arm comfortingly. He shrugged her off but he couldn’t argue with her words. Shadowhunters were sworn protectors and as much as Alec wanted to just let the vampires get away with the kidnapping, he held duty above all else, and it was his responsibility to get the mundane out of their grasp. 

“If she decides to go on her own, we’ve lost Valentine’s  _ daughter _ to the downworld, and who knows what that means for the Circle,” Jace added even though Alec had already made up his mind. Alec shook his head and let out a frustrated breath through his nose as he walked away from his siblings. 

“She’s not gonna listen to me,” Alec yelled as he walked in the direction the redhead had stormed off. 

“Make her, Alec, you’re good at that,” Jace supplied. 

Alec muttered to himself, “Apparently not good enough.” He had tried to get Jace to listen to him on many occasions, to stop being so reckless and stop taking in strays as if they were prizes he competed for, to follow the guidelines sent down to him from his parents and the Clave, but it was useless because Jace did what Jace wanted. His bad decisions were rubbing off on Izzy and Alec silently thanked his parents for taking Max away before he could go down the path of resistance with the rest of his siblings. 

He stopped walking when he heard soft sobs coming from one of the residential rooms. His heart tightened in his chest as he remembered the times he had waited outside Izzy’s door while she cried herself to sleep after their mother had berated her. It happened far too often and Alec was always afraid of knocking on the door and offering his support. Izzy had to be strong in order to be who she needed to be and who Alec knew she could be and he wasn’t going to interfere with that. So he would sit outside her door until he was sure she was finally getting some rest and spend the rest of the night staring at his ceiling, wondering if he was doing the right thing. 

With a steady inhale, Alec let his knuckles rap against the door softly, calling out a gentle, “Clary?” He heard some shuffling and sniffling as if she was trying to hide the fact she was crying and Alec respected that more than he thought he would. The door opened slowly and the glare the redhead had on her face was almost as deadly as the one Alec had perfected. 

“What?” She spat, her hair whipping into Alec’s face as she turned quickly and sat on the bed with a huff. 

“I just wanted to-- Are you okay?” He asked and the question seemed to surprise Clary. She nodded at first, quick and sure, but then her bottom lip started to tremble and she shook her head.

“It was my birthday yesterday,” she began as a tear fell down her cheek. Alec stayed silent from where he stood, unsure of how to comfort this girl he had barely just met. “It was supposed to be the best day of my life. I turned 18 - a  _ real _ adult by human standards - and was accepted into my dream school. I had a mom who-- who was--  _ is _ my best friend and a stepdad who I trusted with my life. And I had my best friend, the one person who has been there for me since I was little, celebrating with me.” Her voice shook with each passing confession and Alec resisted the urge to sit beside her and place a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

“And now?” He asked because if he knew anything, it was that hiding feelings and emotions from those that just wanted to help was the most detrimental thing a person could do to themselves. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to know Clary, but it was too late to change his mind as Clary looked up at him with wide eyes and shook her head again. 

“My mother pushed me into a swirling hole of magic that her best friend created and now I might never see her again. I showed up at my step dad’s work only to overhear him admit that I meant  _ nothing _ to him, that my mother meant nothing to him. I almost died and was only saved because some guy I just met gave me some mystical tattoo of healing, and now?” Clary took a deep breath and the tears that threatened to fall seemed to disappear as she tried to compose herself. “My best friend has been kidnapped by a guy that had fangs for teeth and the ability to disappear before I could even register what I was seeing.” 

“He’s a vampire,” Alec said ignoring the glare that Clary shot in his direction, “a very powerful one that is using the mund-- Simon,” Alec corrected, “against you.” He sighed heavily, taking a few steps closer to Clary to sit beside her on the bed before continuing, “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re a shadowhunter now. That means you have to follow the rules that have been created to keep all of us safe and protected.” 

“But what about Simon?” Clary questioned, turning toward Alec to grip his thigh in her hands, her nails digging into the flesh there like a desperate plea for answers that Alec couldn’t really give her. Alec rested his hand over hers to urge her to relax. She didn’t know it yet, but he was the one with the mind to make a plan and the good sense to make sure they took the correct next steps in order to keep everyone safe. There was a small part of him that hoped he could prove it to her. 

“They won’t hurt him,” Alec began and at Clary’s look of disbelief, he added, “They  _ won’t. _ They want something they think you have and I’m starting to believe that you know less than everyone thinks you do.” Clary nodded quickly and sniffed as an escaped tear fell down her cheek. Alec reached up before he could stop himself and swiped it away with his thumb before resting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. “But we can’t just barge into a nest of vampires without a  _ plan, _ Clary. You know Simon better than the rest of us and you trust him to stay alive, yeah?” 

Clary agreed, “He’s probably torn between fear and excitement that vampires actually  _ exist _ and he gets to see one in person.” Her watery laugh had Alec relaxing enough to stand and peer down at her. He admitted to himself that he had - still held - reservations about the redhead, but her ability to be thrown into the Shadow World with barely any fear crossing her features was something Alec admired. 

“Then we’ll figure out how to get him back, but we’re going to need your help. I need you to calm yourself down and clear your head,” Alec commanded. Clary stood up and wiped at her face, fixing the leather skirt Izzy had lent her before nodding at Alec again as if ready for action. Alec shook his head and nudged her back to sitting with a gentle hand. 

“Take a second. Mourn the loss of the mundane life you knew because from now on,” Alec said as he walked toward the door, “you’re a shadowhunter first. You’re the responsibility of the Clave which means you’re  _ my _ responsibility and I take that very seriously.” Clary stared over at him and Alec had to avert his eyes before he became uncomfortable with the trust he saw forming in them. 

“Thank you, Alec,” Clary whispered. Alec nodded but said nothing else as he walked out the door. He shut it behind him and when he heard Clary’s sobs start up again, he slid down the wall outside of the room just to make sure that she was going to be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow me on [Tumblr](https://thatnerdemilyj.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj/) for chaotic content. 
> 
> If your looking to scream about Shadowhunters and don't know where to go, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/5nBgEp8)!
> 
> Kudos make me smile and comments make me weep, so please leave them!


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